Op-ed: Why I’ll Never Say the Words “Pro-Life” Again

Yes, I’m pro-life.

Pro the life of the woman making one of the hardest choices of her life.

The term “pro-life” goes beyond the realm of rhetoric and to the point of being an almost abusive attempt at manipulation. While the pro-life movement might frame the phrasing as a defense of an unborn child, it’s really more of an attack on the humanity of the women (and men) who do not share their religious beliefs. To be anything but pro-life is to be pro-death, and how much of a human can someone be who is pro-death?

Let’s call the “pro-life” movement what it is: part of a modern Crusade hell bent on enforcing their religion-based ethics upon everyone around them, non-believers included.

It’s really not all that different than Muslim terrorist groups trying to coerce innocent people to follow Sharia; in a way, it’s an era of Christian terrorism in America, except instead of suicide bombs their weapon is legislation.

Being so ego-maniacal as to devote yourself to enforcing Christian Sharia upon your neighbors is not to be pro anything at all, really.

Compassion, on the other hand, is a choice.

I have news for the pro-life movement that might surprise them: I, a “pro-choice” person, believe in God. My God is beautiful. My God is powerful. My God is the fountain of all empathy. My God understands this world is complicated and that He made it imperfect. My God trusts the instincts He laced into the brains and hearts of Woman, his most sublime creation.

Since using the phrase “pro-life” in-and-of-itself is to cast a religion-based judgment–and last I checked, none of us are God, thus none of us are equipped to make that call–let’s consider some alternatives.

Jesse is the editor of AltDaily.com and a columnist for the Norfolk Compass & PilotOnline. His work has been published on the pages of The New York Times and on televisions everywhere through his time as a documentary producer with B.E.T.

Jesse often writes about the causes he believes in, including public art, public education, improved mental health care and awareness, the NEON District, government transparency, civic engagement, the decriminalization of marijuana, alternative transportation, and supporting local businesses and culture.

In a former life Jesse was a public school teacher in Brooklyn and San Diego, and a mentor at a home for young men in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a devoted yogi, Knicks fan, live music lover, and road tripper.